D -- Planned 8PSK Mod Upgrade for NOAA POES Environmental Data Users

The following is a "special notice" issued in accordance with the FAR at Sub-Part 5.205(c), entitled, "8 PSK Modem Requirement Announcement". The purpose of this notice is to inform the widest possible audience of planned changes to satellite broadcast data from Americom Government Service's (AGS) (formerly GE Americom) telecommunications satellites, formerly known as GE-4 and GE-2 (now AGS-4 and AGS-2). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES) data is transmitted through these commercial satellites. Recipients of environmental data from NOAA's POES satellites that receive direct broadcast data from AGS' telecommunications satellites will require 8 Phase Shift Key (8 PSK) modulation with Reed Solomon coding; either 2/3 or 5/6 FEC Coding, and Reed Solomon outer coding features in their modems in order to continue to receive this data. This upgrade/conversion to 8 PSK modulation is planned for early 2003. NOAA awarded the Converged POES/DMSP Telecommunications support contract (Number 50-DGNE-2-90011) to the incumbent Americom Government Services (AGS) on July 31, 2002. This contract's period of performance began on September 6, 2002 and, if all options are exercised by the Government, will continue to provide satellite communications for up to 10 years. Technology improvements provided by the new AGS contract included the conversion from QPSK modulation to 8 Phase Shift Key (PSK) modulation. The use of 8PSK modulation will result in more efficient satellite transponder use and lower costs to the Government. You may contact NOAA Integrated Program Office employees Jay Moore (contracting officer) at 301-427-2079, ext. 112, or Clarence Tignor (Contracting Officer's Technical Representative) at 301-427-2079, ext. 217, if you need additional information, or if you need to contact AGS with any questions.